The Acreage
by 554Laura
Summary: A short multi chapter story about what happened on the land that was deeded to Booth by Jacob Broadsky. Some angst at the beginning, but things work out well by the end. I don't own Bones...
1. Chapter 1

_A/N: I was inspired to write this after watching Bullet in the Brain once again. This story has been written in several different ways, but this idea just wouldn't leave me alone. Thanks for indulging me. Laura_

* * *

Booth knew this trip would be a mistake as soon as he pulled away from the apartment.

"Where are we going?", Hannah asked as she buckled her seatbelt over her jeans and tee shirt. "After everything that's happened over the last couple of weeks, I'd think you'd want to stay home and rest…you know...relax...spend some time at home with your girlfriend..."

"I don't want to stay inside on a nice day like this." That wasn't really a lie...he didn't want to stay inside with _her_ today _._ He had to get away from the pressures of DC for a while...and of course, she had to come. She wouldn't understand, but she still had to come. "We're going for a drive. I want to show you something."

They drove south for a couple of hours, with her trying to make conversation and him trying to avoid it. He was preoccupied, turning over a puzzle in his mind, and he'd hoped driving would help him clear his head. Finally he turned to his passenger, his eyebrow raised. "What?"

"I said there's a lot of great things to do on Richmond...a lot of historical sites. There's a Civil War Museum and the Edgar Allan Poe House…" Her voice trailed off as the SUV turned west onto I-64. "Of course, maybe we aren't stopping Richmond today…"

"Nope." Booth shook his head as he checked the rearview mirror. "I said I wanted to show you something…" He drove further, without saying much, traveling several more minutes before turning onto what was supposed to be an improved county road. The truck sped down the two bumpy lane highway, getting further and further from the urban sprawl surrounding DC. Finally he pulled off on a gravel road just outside of the small town of Carterville. "This is it."

"Oh." Hannah breathed out a sigh as she rolled her eyes. "I see. This is _it_." She stared out the window at the heavily wooded landscape on the other side of a fence. "I just don't understand. Why would Jacob Broadsky deed this parcel of land over to you?"

Booth got out of the SUV before he answered, turning to see if Hannah was following him. "I'm not sure...I've got an idea, though…"

"Wasn't that a huge waste of money? I mean, this is what...ten acres? And even at just five thousand dollars an acre, that's 50,000 dollars…" She grimaced as she brushed her hair back over her shoulder. "That's kind of an expensive gift…"

"He was paid two million dollars to take the shot that killed Heather Taffet. He could afford to buy this land. Anyway, the land wasn't exactly a gift for me. It was more like a challenge…" Booth walked over to the gate and looked up in the tree to see if the surveillance camera was still in place, but it was gone. "Jake knew that I wouldn't be able to resist coming out to take a look if he attached my name to this place." Trying to open the gate, he pushed hard, forcing it to squeak as it slowly turned on its rusty hinges. "He knew I'd have to come see what was out here." He offered Hannah his hand before they started up a path. "Bones was right...I was a fucking idiot to come out here by myself. Jake could've killed me and no one would've ever found my body..."

 _Of course 'Bones' was right. Isn't she always right?_ Not wanting to appear jealous or whiny, Hannah gritted her teeth to avoid saying something she'd regret. "I still don't get it. He just gave you this piece of land…"

"I don't think he really intended to give it to me. He was using to prove a point. He wanted to show me who was really in charge, I guess. He was staying on a piece of land that was supposed to be mine, and he was challenging me to come take it back from him. It was kind of like challenging me to a duel." Booth shrugged a shoulder as he walked ahead a few paces. "Us elite snipers...we all know each other. Most of us have trained together at one time or another. I trained with Jake while we were in the service. He thinks he's a better man than me, and he was trying to prove it, so he threw down the gauntlet. 'Come and get me, Seeley, if you think you're so goddamn tough. Come and take me out'. Anyway, Caroline Julian says the land is all mine now, bought and paid for, with a perfectly legal deed listing me as the owner, so I can do whatever I want with it." Booth shuddered slightly as he squinted in the bright sunlight, trying to forget the way Jake had sneered so wickedly as he stood over him that day. _He could've killed me then and there...but he didn't. What's his game? The Hand of God...is he after someone else? I hope not…but probably so..._ Trying to shake off his anxiety, Booth picked up his pace, forcing a smile. "Let's go, slowpoke."

Nervously listening to her boyfriend's explanation, Hannah stopped and glared at Booth. "Is there a chance he's still hiding out here? We could be walking into another trap!"

 _Would I bring you out here if I thought he was still around? Crazy woman..._ "Nah...the bomb techs came out and cleared the place. No more booby traps, and I'm sure Jake is long gone by now. He probably has another job to do somewhere…" Booth continued to move up the path. "Come on...we're almost there."

Hannah stood with her hands on her hips as she watched Booth walk up a small rise. "You know, I'm still angry because you didn't call me that night to tell me what had happened."

He snorted derisively. "Helluva lotta good that would've done, Hannah. You were with the President in Oslo, right? It would've taken you almost a day to get home, and by then I would've been cleared for desk duty." He bit his lip, realizing he sounded bitter. "I'm sorry. I know you were working. It wasn't a big deal, okay? Just minor injuries. See, I'm fine…"

Trudging up the hill after him, she shook her head. "That's not the point, Seeley. We're a couple now, and I'm entitled to know what's going on in your life. Have you even bothered to list me on your paperwork as someone the FBI should contact in case you're severely injured? I don't want to have to rely on Temperance for all my news about you…"

Booth spun around, astonished as he stared at his girlfriend. "Bones called you? When?"

"It was around eight AM in Oslo the day after you'd been wounded, so it must've been midnight or so here. She said she didn't want me to worry, but that you'd been injured while trying to apprehend a dangerous suspect. Is that really how you want me to find out what's going on? Having someone like her calling me?" Hannah tapped her foot as she glared at him. "Or maybe you didn't want me to know you'd been working that case so closely with Temperance…"

"What's that supposed to mean? Look, how many times do I have to tell you? Bones is just my partner, okay? That's all." He swallowed hard as he remembered once again how he'd watched Bones through the diner window that evening, wishing things had been different between them. _Bones looked so beautiful, holding that shell up to her ear...she's always been there for me…_ Sighing quietly, he walked back to Hannah and took her hand in his. "Hey, let's not fight, okay? C'mere…" He helped her up to the crest of the hill. They were looking down into a clearing in the trees. "So what do you think? I'm gonna put the house right there…"

"House? You want to build a house out here in the middle of nowhere?" Hannah was flabbergasted. "Are you crazy?"

"The land is paid for, so why not build on it? It's not like it's gonna be great big mansion, you know. Three or four bedrooms...a big living room for a giant television...a nice eat in kitchen…" Booth grinned as he looked out over the land. "I'd like a log cabin…"

"Just what does a single guy like you need with four bedrooms? I could understand that if it was a hunting cabin, but you're talking about living out here full time, right?" Hannah laughed out loud. "I don't believe it. You're joking, right?" She stopped suddenly as she saw the embarrassed look on Booth's face. "Oh, my God...you're not joking. You really want to live out here…"

"Just on the weekends, or maybe over Memorial Day or Labor Day...maybe take some time off in the summer when school's out...maybe spend Christmas vacation out here. Me, you, Parker...it'll be fun. We can put in air conditioning to make it bearable when it's hot, and there's a little town a couple of miles down the road where we can get groceries. Parker would love hiking out here. It'd be a nice place for the family to come together for the holidays. Maybe even the grandkids..."

"Do you know how far we are from an airport? I might be able to fly out of Richmond, but it's not nearly as easy to make international connections as it is when you fly out of DC. I'd also have to drive to DC for all of my meetings with the members of Congress or with the President. I'd almost need to keep a place in town. That doesn't sound very practical to me. Besides, I lived in the wilderness while I was in Afghanistan. I'm not looking forward to roughing it that much anymore…"

"Yeah, but we could make it work. I mean, you wouldn't really be roughing it, and it's not like we'd live out here all the time. It's mostly gonna be a vacation home…" Booth frowned sadly, disappointed, but not surprised, that Hannah wasn't sharing his enthusiasm for the plans he'd made. "I think it'd be great to have a house in the country."

"You're a city kid, Seeley. I'm not sure you're cut out to live in the sticks. Here's what sounds more practical to me." Hannah grinned as she put her arms around Booth's waist. "Why not sell this acreage and put the money down on a condo in one of those new high rise buildings? They're beautiful...granite counters, stainless appliances, lots of windows...we could get a two bedroom place so Parker would have a room…"

"You mean one of those cookie cutter places? No, thank you. I like my goofy little apartment just fine. If I'm gonna move, I want it to be to a place that's got some personality." He glanced at his watch. "I guess we should head back to DC. You wanted to go see a movie tonight, right?"

"Yes, I want to go see _Crazy, Stupid, Love._ " My friend Allie said it was really cute." Hannah winked at Booth as they walked back to the SUV. "I bet that little town up the road doesn't even have a movie theater."

"Maybe not." He paused to listen as the birds sang merrily in the nearby trees. "But we'd have fun doing other things…or we could rent movies to watch on my big screen tv..."

"Nice try, I don't think so. Both of us need to live in the city for our jobs and to keep our sanity." Hannah giggled at Booth's annoyance. "Come on, let's go home and get ready to go to the movies. Maybe tomorrow we can go look at condos."

Booth shook his head as he unlocked the car, turning around to take a long look at the woods behind the fence. He'd been right. This trip was a mistake, but he'd learned a lot about Hannah along the way.


	2. Chapter 2

Booth didn't want to make the trip today, but he knew it needed to be done. Even though driving out there would remind him of her all over again, he had to go, if for no other reason than to chase away her memory. He had to lay that ghost to rest...to end the relationship completely, and the only way to do it was to walk that path one more time.

Once again he wished that he'd never told Hannah about the place...that he'd kept his dreams to himself. He shook his head ruefully. How had he deceived himself so badly? How had he come to the conclusion that she was the one...that he could share the important things with her, and that she would care? Hannah, it seemed, hadn't really listened to what he'd said about his plans for their life together, but he then remembered that he hadn't really listened to her when she talked about her plans either, so maybe they were even.

He fastened his seatbelt over his jeans and sweat jacket before turning on the windshield wipers. It was a cold, damp Saturday, and if he'd been in his right mind, he'd be home sitting in front of the television, watching a game with a beer in his hand and some snacks on the coffee table. Instead, he was turning his SUV onto the main thoroughfare, starting the two hour drive south to Richmond.

The wipers slapped the mist out of the way as he drove along the highway, preoccupied with everything that had happened over the last few weeks, turning the puzzle over in his mind once again. There was no one along for the drive this time...no one to try to involve him in aimless chatter about some childish political intrigue or gossip about which senator was pissed at the President this week. It was just him and the comforting noise from the radio as he drove further and further away from the urban sprawl that was DC...further and further from the heartache and embarrassment that had marked all of his failed romantic relationships.

He'd wanted to show her something that day. That's what he'd told Hannah when they'd driven out here last time. It wasn't just the land that he'd wanted her to see. He also wanted to show her his dreams for the future...their future together. Their house, their marriage, their family...all of those beautiful illusions wrapped up in ten acres of scrub oak. And what was her response? _Why does a single guy need a four bedroom house?_ It was so obvious now that she'd never been interested in that version of their relationship, but for some stupid reason he hadn't understood that until a few weeks ago. When they'd finally talked about his dreams that night in front of the Reflecting Pool, Hannah's version of reality had collided violently with his romantic notions. Seeley Booth, the man who was supposed to be so good at reading people, had been totally oblivious to the signals that should've told him that Hannah wasn't looking for the same things out of life that he was. How did he miss that? But miss it he did, and the result had been a truly spectacular failure on his part, complete a with drunken binge that night and the resulting epic hangover the next day.

He finally pulled the truck off onto the county road that would take him to that area just outside of Carterville. As he came up on the gravel road off to the right, he almost gave up this crazy idea. Why not just turn around and go home? Why do this to himself? But he had to see it again. He wanted to know what she saw...what it was about this place that made Hannah turn him down. The answer must be out here on this acreage.

Getting out of the truck, he zipped up his jacket against the chill and went around to the back to get his tools. He'd been putting this off for too long. Physical labor would help him figure things out, and he could work out here as long as he wanted, uninterrupted by the demands of his life back in DC. It was a form of penance...a way to absolve himself from the sin of stupidity. If he ever hoped to have peace of mind, he had to do this today.

He walked up to the gate and pushed, gritting his teeth as it squeaked in protest. He'd been so cocky that day he came out here alone to confront Broadsky, jumping the fence and challenging the guy, chasing him across the fields and through the ravines, running deeper and deeper into the dense forest. Had that been Jake's plan all along? To catch his pursuer off guard and then blow him to kingdom come? He must've known that Booth wouldn't be able to overcome the temptation to see things for himself. Jake knew his former cohort couldn't resist the urge to find out what was going on at this acreage that had his name attached to it. That overwhelming curiosity had almost been the end of Special Agent Booth.

Shouldering his shovel as he picked up his rented chainsaw, Booth shook his head, grimacing as he remembered how upset Bones had been when he'd called her from the emergency room that evening to tell her what had happened out at the acreage. He'd tried to explain to her it was no big deal...that his injuries weren't that bad, but for the first time since he'd known Bones, she'd been stuck on the what ifs of his story. What if he'd been killed? What if he hadn't been able to drag his ass back to the SUV? What if he'd bled to death alone out there? What if no one had been able to find him because he was so far away from DC? He'd had no answers for her that evening. Something seemingly beyond his control had compelled him to come out to this God forsaken spot, even though he knew he had nothing to prove to anyone, or so he thought at the time. He was a special agent in charge...a talented, resourceful, well respected man. There was really no reason for him to confront Jake Broadsky alone. Several weeks later the agent realized why he had to show up here by himself. He was trying to prove something to Bones. He didn't want to let his partner down that day. He wanted to show her that even though he was a world class sniper, he had nothing in common with the monster that was living in these woods.

Walking up the path, Booth came upon the first area he wanted to clear. The overgrown brush had created a bottleneck that would need to be removed before construction crews would be able come out to begin work on the house. That work might not commence for many years, but there was no reason to put things off. No time like the present...

He started the chainsaw and began removing some of the low scraggly trees that were covered with kudzu vine. Dragging the brush into a pile, he dug around the roots of the vines and pulled them out, hoping to completely remove any chance that they'd grow back.

No chance that they'd grow back... He wondered if there was any chance that his relationship with Bones would grow back to what it used to be. She was loyal to a fault, but he wouldn't blame her if she asked for a new partner soon. She'd said she wouldn't do that, but things were still so awkward between them. Maybe she was still angry with him...

Booth pulled more kudzu away from away from some damaged trees so they could be cut up and moved out of the way. Pulling off his jacket, he mopped his brow as he sat down on a fallen tree trunk to take a drink from his water bottle. Bones wasn't the only one who had been angry with him.

Hannah had said she'd been angry that he hadn't called her the evening he'd been injured, but he knew that wasn't the truth. She wasn't angry that he hadn't called her...she was angry because it was Bones who'd called. Hannah couldn't stand the idea that Bones knew more about what was going on his life than she did. Jealousy? Maybe. It had been so easy to fall back into the habit of working with Bones. Bones had always been there for him, and it felt so natural for them to work the case together. Maybe Hannah had a reason to be jealous...

He knew Hannah hadn't believed his "just partners" line, even though he'd almost convinced himself it was true. He sighed as he looked out over the wooded land before him. Why hadn't he called Hannah first to tell her what was going on after his run in with Jake? He chuckled sardonically. Because, in all the excitement, he'd completely forgotten about her. His first thought, like it always was, had been to call Bones. It seemed that Bones would always be first in his mind and his heart, even when he was in a serious relationship with someone else. It wasn't until the next morning when he'd realized his mistake of omission, but by then it was too late to do anything about it. Hannah was arriving home that evening and he decided it was no big deal. He'd ignored that issue the same way he'd ignored all of the other unpleasant things between them. If they didn't talk about problems, they didn't exist, right? Wrong. Those issues had become like landmines between them, just waiting for one wrong word to lead to an explosion of frustration.

Booth started up the chainsaw again and began to work on the fallen trees, cutting them into smaller pieces that could be split for firewood some other Saturday. After stacking the logs neatly, he worked for several hours to clear the brush away from the path before he walked up the rise to look down into the clearing where he wanted to build the house.

The sunlight was fading in the west as he stood gazing at the spot. He nodded to himself. Maybe it was time to be angry at himself as well. What was it that Pops used to say? _Fools rush in where angels fear to tread._ It was time to accept responsibility for making those foolhardy mistakes in his relationships instead of blaming others. That would be the only way to move on. It had been his own doing, and he needed to deal with it. He might still be angry at Hannah, but the pity party needed to end, or he'd be living in the fancy house in the clearing by himself. No one would want the bitter man he would become if he couldn't move past his disappointments. It was time to allow himself to heal.

He went back to pick up his jacket and his tools and then he walked along the path back to the gate. He was tired and a little sore from today's exertion as he threw his tools in the back of the truck and slammed the tailgate. He stood leaning against the door of the SUV for a few minutes, watching as the dark green trees blended into the deepening dusk. It was growing dark on his land, but now there was a tiny ray of light and hope in his soul. Things would be difficult, but he would survive, and he'd be better for it.

Smiling to himself, Booth pulled his SUV back onto the highway, glad that he'd made the trip today. No more backward glances. It was time to move forward...time to forget the pain...time to start over again.

* * *

 _A/N: for all of you who've asked...Brennan will be making an appearance in the next chapter._


	3. Chapter 3

He knew it was the right thing to do as soon as he pulled away from her apartment building.

Bones had smiled at him as she came out to the SUV that Saturday morning, comfortably clad in her faded jeans and beat up FBI sweatshirt. "You're being quite mysterious this morning, Booth." She climbed in and fastened her seat belt before glancing at the cooler and lawn chairs in the back seat. "What sort of excursion do you have planned for us this today?"

"It's a beautiful day, and I don't want to stay inside, so we're gonna take a drive and then we're gonna have a picnic. I want to show you something." He needed to get away from DC...away from the memories that were haunting him...away from the shadows of the stupid decisions he'd made over the last few months...and of course, she had to come. She might not understand why right now, but he was confident that she would someday, so she had to come.

They drove south for a couple of hours, talking about all sorts of things as if they'd never been apart. It was one of the things he'd always loved about her. No matter what else was going on in their lives, they could talk to each about anything, and she'd always listen without judging him. She might not agree, but she was willing to discuss things and hear him out. He'd missed that about her...missed how she accepted him just the way he was without wanting to change him...missed her smiling at his silly comments or rolling her eyes at him as he rambled on about crazy stuff like hockey and the best way to make meatloaf.

He cleared his throat as he pointed to a road sign. "I guess there are a lot of interesting things to see in Richmond. There's a Civil War Museum, and the Edgar Allan Poe House…."

"I'd be quite astonished if you were driving me to Richmond to visit a museum, Booth, especially since visiting museums seems to make you cranky and irritable. Besides, there is a remarkable set of museums in the District. We could just go to a museum in town if you really wanted to visit one."

"That's not true! I don't get irritable…" He grinned at her teasing tone. "Anyway, just because I said the King Tut exhibit was a yawner, it doesn't mean I get cranky, either. But you're right. We're not going to Richmond to look a museum. In fact, we're not stopping in Richmond at all." He turned the SUV onto I-64 west. "Like I said...I want to show you something."

Booth drove further, without saying much more, driving several miles before turning onto what was supposed to be an improved county road. The truck sped down the two bumpy lane highway, getting further and further from the urban sprawl surrounding DC. Finally he pulled off on a gravel road just outside of the small town of Carterville. "Here we are. This is it." He got out of the truck and walked over to a nearby tree before turning around to smile at his passenger. "This is all mine now." He reached into the backseat of the truck and pulled out the chairs and the cooler.

Brennan sat in the car, looking out onto the forested landscape beyond the fence. "I don't know what that means, Booth." Her brow furrowed for a minute before she figured it out. "Oh, I see. Is this the land that Jacob Broadsky purchased in your name?"

"Yeah." Booth pushed open the gate, which swung silently on its hinges. "Jake bought it with his money, but he used my name for the deed, so this land belongs to Seeley Booth. Caroline said that the deed is legal in every respect and I can do whatever I want with the place."

Brennan got out of the truck and walked over to join Booth as he stood by the gate. "Did he ever tell you why he put this plot of land in your name?"

"Nah...after he was arrested, he clammed up, and I didn't get a chance to talk to him after he got locked up...not that I really wanted to, anyway." Booth held the gate open for Brennan so she could walk through. "I think he was trying to get my attention...trying to lure me into a trap...and guess what? It worked. I came charging out here to see what that bastard was doing on a piece of land with my name on it, and it was almost the end of me." He paused before walking up the path a few yards. "You were right, Bones. I was a fucking idiot to come out here and try to challenge him on my own without any backup. I guess I was trying to show off...to prove that I was king of the hill…and that went to hell really quickly...but I had to show him I was the better man that day..."

"That you were the alpha male, trying to impress a female." Brennan nodded in understanding. "You and Broadsky are alike in that you're both alpha males." She held up her hand to quell Booth's angry torrent of words. "I know you don't like to admit it, but it's true that you two are alike in several ways. Most people who have a finely honed skill set such as yours have similar characteristics. People have to be diligent in obtaining and maintaining those skills, almost to the point of obsession. That means you have to have determination, and the willingness to work hard. However, in the ways that matter the most, you are the total opposite of Broadsky. You're a good man, Booth. You're not a heartless killer. Instead of being feared, you're loved and respected. People look up to you."

He ducked his head and looked off into the horizon, hoping to hide his tears from her. "All I knew at the time was that I didn't want to let you down, you know? I guess I felt like I had something to prove to you. I wanted to show you that I was better than Jake, I guess. I wanted you to be proud of me."

"You don't have to prove anything to me, Booth. I know who you are…what kind of man you are." Brennan walked up behind him and rubbed his shoulder. "I'm very proud of you. I always have been, and I always will be."

They walked further up the path until Booth stopped suddenly and pointed at a small gap in the trees. "Over there...see those concrete blocks? That's where the trailer was...the one that he blew up. The force of the explosion knocked me off my feet and threw me over there. That's what dislocated my shoulder." Swallowing hard, he bit his lip. "Jake stood over me, daring me to shoot him. He could've killed me right then, Bones, and it would've been days before anyone found my body…" Booth shuddered violently. "That nasty son of a bitch laughed at me…he made sound like a bad thing that I couldn't stand the thought of collateral damage. But I couldn't kill him if I wasn't sure. I just couldn't do it, you know? But now...God, I wish I'd killed the mother fucker that day. Look at what I could've prevented, Bones. Vincent might still be here..."

"Booth…" Brennan gently put her hand on his arm. "It's okay…you did the right thing if you weren't sure he was guilty. You aren't responsible for what happened to Vincent. You didn't pull the trigger. That was Broadsky's doing, not yours."

He drew a shallow, shivery breath. "Listen, Bones...I want to tell you something...something I've never told anyone else, okay? When I thought I was gonna die out here that day, it wasn't Hannah I was thinking about. All I could think of was you, Bones…that I might never see you again, and it broke my heart." He wiped his eyes with his sleeve. "I was so relieved when I called you from the hospital and I heard your voice on the other end of the call. I guess maybe that's when I knew...no matter what happened, it was always gonna be you…and now I know it always will be you." Trying to regain his composure, he sighed softly as he pointed to a small rise. "C'mon…we're almost to the place where we're gonna have our lunch."

They walked to the crest of the small hill and looked down into a clearing. Booth set up the chairs and put the cooler between them so they could share their meal. "I'm going to build a vacation house right there in that clearing...maybe a log cabin of some sort. Nothing fancy...maybe three or four bedrooms, a big living room for my big screen tv…" He winked at Brennan. "...the bigger the tv, the better, right? A nice eat in kitchen...a deck…"

"That sounds wonderful, Booth. That looks like a perfect building site." Brennan gave him a sidelong glance as she munched on some carrots. "Will you be able to start building soon?"

"Nah, I'm gonna wait a year or two, I think. I've gotta save some money for a down payment on the building loan first, but that'll give me plenty of time to make plans. I think it'll be great, though...we can come out here for the weekends, or for holidays...me, you, Parker...anyone else who comes along to join our family…" Booth gave Brennan a big grin as he pulled her hand up to his mouth and kissed it. "Who knows...we may even have to add on some bedrooms over the years…"

"Perhaps I could help finance the project. I got an excellent advance for my next book." Brennan smiled happily as she looked down into the clearing. "This is really an excellent place to build a house. The house will be surrounded by trees, providing some shade and also ensuring our privacy."

"I don't want you to help finance my vacation home, okay? I'm gonna do this on my own. It's gonna be my project. The house is probably gonna be two stories with a wrap around deck around the first floor. We can get groceries in that little town a few miles over and then we can grill our dinners out here while we listen to the birds…" He smiled as a cardinal flew by. "We'll put a balcony off our bedroom on the upper floor so we can sit out in the evening and watch the sun go down…"

"That would be nice. We'll also need a big stone fireplace to heat the house in the winter…"

"And a place to put the Christmas tree. It's gonna be great, isn't it?" Booth grinned happily at Brennan. "And you know what? Even before the house is built, you, me, and Parker can come out here and camp. Maybe we can get a travel trailer and set it up back there where Jake had his trailer sitting. Might as well use those blocks…"

"True." Brennan smiled at Booth's excitement as he discussed all of his plans for the acreage. "It sounds like you're going to be quite happy out here."

"Yeah, I will...we will." Booth took Brennan's hand in his. "What Jake did was so horribly wrong, and I almost feel bad about keeping this piece of land, but then I thought...why not? There's no reason for me and my family not to enjoy it, right? That way maybe something good can come from all the bad he did. Maybe someday we'll decide to sell it, but for right now, I'm gonna plan on enjoying it...with you. I love you, Bones. You know that, right?"

She smiled shyly as she nodded. "Yes...I love you, too."

Booth glanced at his watch. "Oh, geez...look at the time. Didn't you want to go see that movie tonight?"

"I did, but I've changed my mind. I think I'd rather sit out here with you for awhile. Maybe we can watch the sunset before we go home."

"Yeah." He nodded at Brennan. "Let's watch the sunset."

He glanced at the woman sitting next to him as the last rays of light washed across her beautiful face. She smiled at him before turning back to enjoy the reddening sky, and he knew then that she understood completely.

A sense of peace filled Booth as he watched the sun sink behind the trees. This part of his journey was over. He'd finally arrived where he wanted to be...with someone who loved him just the way he was.

* * *

 _A/N: I know this may seem like the end, but there are a few more chapters coming soon. If you have time to leave a review, I'd appreciate it._


	4. Chapter 4

_A/N: Set at the beginning of season 8_

* * *

He wasn't really sure this was a good idea, but he figured today was as good a day as any.

When Booth pulled the SUV away from the house this morning, he knew what he wanted to accomplish this sunny Saturday. First, they took a quick trip to the park to see if Christine really hated the carousel. He'd held his daughter steady on her painted pony as they turned in a slow circle in time with the calliope music, and she didn't scream, but she didn't relax, either. It seemed like that was going to be the theme for today.

Then it was time for the rest of their plans. He was sure his Bones wouldn't understand why they were making this trip. He wasn't sure he understood himself, either, but he knew they had to go out there, and it needed to be soon, before anything else was lost between them.

"Why are we going out there today?", she asked in a petulant tone, not looking forward to another long ride in a car. "Are you sure the weather there will be appropriate for Christine?"

"Yeah, I'm sure. Look, it's a beautiful Saturday morning, and I don't want to stay in the house today, okay? Besides, I want to show you something. It's been a long time since we've been out this way together, and I want to spend some time with you. It'll be a nice drive." Booth glanced at Brennan as he turned the SUV south for the two hour drive to Richmond. Something was different between them now, and it made him uncomfortable. It was like she was there in the car with him, but at the same time, she was a million miles away. He'd missed talking to her so much while she was gone. That was one thing he'd always loved about her...that they could talk about anything. Now it seemed like they couldn't talk about anything without one of them getting upset.

Finally she broke the silence. "We didn't travel this way after we left that day, Booth. We headed north when we left DC, toward West Virginia."

"Yeah? Did you see anything interesting along the way?", he asked. Relieved that the crushing silence between them had been overcome, he wanted to continue the conversation. "Did you visit any museums while you were gone?"

"No, of course not." She sighed heavily. "Max wanted to make sure we did nothing to call attention to ourselves. We had to blend in with the crowd. We spent a lot of time moving from one little town to another, and we rarely stayed in one place very long, so there was no time for sightseeing."

"I guess that's easy to do in West Virginia, isn't it? Drifting from one small town to another?" He glanced at the rearview mirror, glad to see his daughter was happily babbling in the back seat. "I suppose it wasn't easy to travel with a baby, though."

She turned suddenly to glare at him. "Why are you bringing that up, Booth? You know why I took Christine with me. I was afraid for her safety! Pelant would've stopped at nothing to hurt us! He might've harmed her…"

Exhaling slowly, Booth nodded. "I know. I've already told you that I understood why you took Christine when you left. I wasn't trying to start a fight, Bones. I was merely making an observation, okay? I know you did the best you could to keep Christine safe under some very bad circumstances, and you were successful, alright? You're a excellent mom." His hands gripped the steering wheel tightly as he tried to remain calm. "Look, I'm sorry if you thought I was teasing you. I know you've had a rough time over the last few months, being away from home and all."

She closed her eyes, inhaling sharply as she realized how badly she'd overreacted. "No, I'm the one who should apologize Booth. I know you weren't trying to annoy me on purpose. It seems like every little thing is making me act irrationally lately." Brennan stared out the passenger window. "You are correct. It can be quite difficult to travel with a small child."

They drove in silence for several more miles, each wanting to make sure they didn't upset the other as they got further and further away from the stresses of their work and their lives in the city. " _Maybe that's the problem_.", Booth thought. _"Maybe we have to be honest with each other and not worry about being of making each other mad."_ He contemplated the awkward situation as turned the SUV off of the main thoroughfare and onto the bumpy two lane highway, knowing something had to give if they were going to recover from the trauma of the last three months. They sped along until they reached the turnoff to the gravel road outside of Carterville. "Here we are."

He climbed out of the driver's seat and opened the car's backdoor so he could unbuckle Christine from her car seat. "There we go, Sweetheart. Yeah, she's gonna hang out with her dad, right? Daddy missed his little girl…" He bounced her a little bit as he whispered some baby talk in her ear. "Did Christine miss her daddy while she was on a trip? Yes, she did…" He walked toward the gate and turned to Brennan. "Come on...I want to show you something."

Brennan got out of the SUV and slowly walked over to join him. "I don't understand, Booth. You've already shown me this place many times…"

"I know...c'mon, Bones. Just trust me, okay?" He balanced Christine on his hip as he held the gate open for Brennan.

She hesitated for a minute before joining him. "I'm afraid this place makes me uncomfortable now. It looks like one of the places where we camped while I was gone. I find it unsettling."

"I imagine so." Booth nodded in agreement as he came back to put his arm around her. "In fact, Hayes Flynn just knew I had you stashed away in a trailer somewhere out here. He dragged me out to this acreage a couple of times so he could have the FBI techs search the area for signs of habitation."

"That's absurd! Why would he think you'd be stupid enough to hide me on an acreage you own?" Brennan shook her head in exasperation. "He should've known better than to waste your time like that."

"Well, we both know that was a crazy assumption, but he was desperate to locate you, since you were considered to be a wanted felon. He didn't know anything about how Max was helping you, and, of course, I didn't volunteer anything about that, either. It drove Flynn crazy trying to figure out where you got the money to live on. He kept tracking our bank accounts and cell phone records, but he had no idea where to find you. I guess he thought if he made me come with him out here, I'd give in and tell him where you were staying. He never believed me when I told him that I didn't know where you were."

They slowly walked down the narrow path that led from the gate out to a grove of trees. "Max is quite adept at being on the run from law enforcement officials.", Brennan commented. "Not that it's a skill to be cultivated." She wore a small smile as she looked at her surroundings. "It seems you've done quite a bit more work on clearing the path."

"Yeah." Booth paused as he placed Christine up on his shoulders. "I got lonely, you know? Most of the time, even though I hated it, I was okay during the week while you were gone. I could stay home in the evenings and read one of your textbooks or watch a game for a few hours to keep my mind occupied before I went to bed. But on the weekends…" He shifted nervously from one foot to the other, chewing on the inside of his cheek. He didn't want his comments to sound like accusations. "I found myself getting really restless. Part of me wanted to drive all over the countryside, looking for you, but I knew that would be a waste of time, so, instead, I came out here to work on the acreage. It gave me something to do so I wouldn't dwell on how bad things were at the time. I was so worried about you, and it was eating me up inside. It was too hard to stay in that big house all myself." He walked up the little rise that looked down into the clearing before turning back to Brennan. "Take a look."

She came to stand next to him and focused her attention to the spot he'd indicated. "You've decided on the actual building site?"

"Yeah. Let's walk down there, and I'll show you. Be careful...I still haven't got all of the driveway cleared yet." He smiled has he held out his hand to her. "It's kind of steep…"

She hesitated slightly before accepting his hand. They walked down the incline and around the bend until they were level with the clearing in the trees. "I was correct. The trees surrounding the house will offer us quite a bit of privacy."

"Yeah, I think so. I may have to take out some of the smaller ones to make a drive up to the house, but I hope to leave most of the larger ones. I think I'd like to have one of those tree lined driveways like they have in front of those old plantations. Careful…" He took Christine from his shoulders and held the child in his arms as he explained his plans. "The site for the house is about a half acre across, so we'll have a big yard. This is what I wanted to show you." They passed through the last of the trees and stood in the clearing. "I've marked out the plans for the house."

Small wooden stakes, tied with orange plastic ribbons, were positioned at intervals in the clearing. "The front of the house will face the trees, so when someone drives up to the house we can see them approach." He walked over to one of the stakes. "This is one of the corners of the front porch. I know originally I said I wanted a wraparound porch, but I think it'll be better to have it just across the front of the house, and then maybe another one one the back." He grinned at Brennan. "What do you think?"

"I think that sounds nice. Perhaps we could have a porch swing here in front." She walked over to join him and pointed to another area. "So that's the family room?"

"Yeah...the fireplace will be here, and then a wall, and then a French door that leads out from the kitchen to a covered patio where we can grill." He pointed to the farthest stakes. "I think it might be a good idea to put a couple of bedrooms downstairs as well as upstairs. That way we still can enjoy the house when we're older. We won't have to climb the stairs to go to bed."

"That seems like a wise choice, Booth." Brennan took a fussy Christine from Booth and stood in one of the areas marked off for a bedroom. "So how many bedrooms will the house have all together?"

He grinned sheepishly. "Maybe five or six?" He pretended to glare at Brennan's "I told you so" smirk. "I know. I originally said 3 or 4 bedrooms, but I figured we'd put three upstairs and at least two down here so we could have room for when the kids come to visit with families of their own. I think it would be fun to have our holidays out here with our grandkids."

"That's a pleasant thought." Brennan took Booth's hand in hers. "I'm glad we kept this land instead of selling it when we decided to buy a house together, even though at the time, I thought you were being merely stubborn when you stated that you wanted to keep it."

"Who, me? Stubborn? I don't think so." He chuckled as he pulled Brennan and their daughter into his embrace. "This land means too much to me to give it up, I guess. In a way it reminds me that life is really unpredictable, and I should make good use of whatever time I have. I want to spend every minute I can with you and our daughter, out here at our vacation house..."

"Booth…", Brennan began as she wiped away a tear. "I'm so sorry we lost those three months together. You know I didn't want to leave you...it would never be my first choice to deliberately cause you pain."

"I know, Bones. I know why you made the choice you did. I know wasn't your fault, and I know I'll get over it eventually...that we'll get through this bumpy stretch. Instead of dwelling on that, though, I'd rather think about all the months and years we'll have in the future to spend together...me and you, and our family in this house for vacations and holidays...it's gonna be great, Bones. We may have to work hard at it, but it's gonna be great."

Brennan nodded as she stood in the middle of their future family room, imagining her family enjoying this house together. "I find that I'm looking forward to the members of our family spending time together in the future. I want to share wonderful memories with them here in this house." She smiled as she took his hand. "You're correct, Booth. Things will be great."


	5. Chapter 5

_A/N: Sorry for the delay in updating this story. RL got in the way. If you have time to review, I'd appreciate it. Laura._

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She wasn't sure this was the right thing to do, and the uncertainty bothered her tremendously. Brennan was used to being confident and decisive, but now she was relying on her feelings instead of facts, and it made her uncomfortable. She wasn't always sure of what she felt, and acting on those unquantifiable emotions seemed foolhardy, but that was exactly what she was going to do today. She was going to go with her intestinal impressions this time, hoping for a satisfactory outcome.

As she pulled the car away from her house, she thought about her plans for the day. She knew what needed to be done, but she wasn't completely sure why it needed to be done. All she knew was that things couldn't go on the same way as they had the last few months. Something needed to change, or she'd lose Booth forever, and she wasn't willing take that chance. She had to make this trip today. Her husband most likely wouldn't understand, but she had to go today.

She could imagine his admonishment when he found out about her plans. "Why did you go there today? It's a long drive by yourself, isn't it? What if something happened to you? To our child? How could I live with that?"

Without thinking she placed her hand on her pregnant abdomen, chuckling to herself as she glanced in the rearview mirror. After all these years, she'd finally begun to realize that Booth's overprotectiveness, while often quite annoying, was an outgrowth of his love for her. That was a comforting thought as she turned her Prius south for the two hour drive to Richmond. It was an easy drive for the most part, and it allowed her time to think about what he meant to her...to remember all of the times Booth had gone out of the way to keep her safe, both physically and emotionally...to appreciate his unconditional love for her. Now it was time for her to demonstrate that same unconditional love...to protect him, even if it was from himself. Brennan was positive he would tell her he didn't need protecting, but he was drifting away from their life together, and now she was going to be his rudder, steering him back to reality...to the safe harbor that was their marriage.

Rolling her eyes at the florid prose flowing through her mind, she smiled as she shook her head. It seemed that over their years together Booth had thoroughly permeated every aspect of her life, including the way she thought. She was normally quite logical, even in the privacy of her own mind, but occasionally Booth's quirky romantic influence would show up when she least expected it.

She missed that part of their life together...the fun...the occasional silliness that made up portions of Booth's weird 'logic'. Things were so cautious between them now. They were both guarding their feelings...they were both afraid of where they were going, or if they were going there together. They were polite, but not honest. Each seemed afraid to say what they were truly thinking to the other, and a relationship without truth was not worth the effort it took to maintain it. Having already experienced that sort of thing with her husband, she had no desire to return to that scenario. It was time to be honest, whether they wanted to be honest or not.

She shifted in her seat slightly as her child reminded her of his presence. Laughing as he moved within her, she spoke to him softly. "I know you miss your daddy, baby...you miss hearing his voice, don't you? I do, too. Things are awkward between us now, but your father and I both love you very much, and nothing will ever change that." She cringed as she felt a sharp kick in her side. "Yes, I know you're tired of riding in the car. We can stop for a minute…"

Pulling off at a gas station, she stopped to use the restroom before resuming her journey. She checked the map on her phone before turning onto the bumpy two lane road that led to Carterville. Unsure of the reception she'd be facing, she felt her trepidation growing as she got closer to the gravel road that led to the acreage.

She exhaled softly as she turned off on the gravel road that led to their property. After sitting in the car for a minute or two, considering the efficacy of her decision, Brennan got out of the Prius and opened the gate. Booth had spent a lot of time improving the path that led down to the clearing where the house was being built. Pulling her car through the gate, she drove slowly down the makeshift road toward her goal.

He'd taken out some of the smaller trees and created a driveway up to the building site. The house was still under construction, but the walls had been framed and the roof was completed. The two story house loomed up before her as she drove through the trees.

"It really is a lovely house.", Brennan said to herself as she parked the car. "I'm looking forward to spending time here." Smiling, she stood admiring the facade of the building when she heard noises coming from the side of the house. Not wanting to startle anyone, she slowly walked around the corner to see what was going on.

Booth was working on a project. Wearing battered jeans and a dusty tee shirt, he pushed a wheelbarrow of bricks over to a partially built wall. Wearing headphones, he was oblivious to his visitor as he sang loudly to himself while he slathered mortar onto the bricks, stacking them up to form what appeared to be a seating area around a fire pit. He danced around, waving his trowel in time with the music, and using the end of the trowel to tap the bricks into place. After placing five or six bricks, he stood back to admire his work, pulling off his headphones and wiping his forehead with the back of his hand, obviously pleased with himself.

"It looks very nice, Booth." Brennan took a few steps closer to admire his creation. "I think we'll enjoy using this on cool nights."

"Bones? What the hell?" He jumped slightly before he threw the trowel into the bucket of mortar as he turned to glare at her. "Why are you here? Where's Christine? Oh my God...is the baby okay? Are you in labor? Did you really drive out here all by yourself? That's just crazy…"

Brennan let him babble on for a few minutes before she reached out to take his hand. "Booth, are you through? If you'll give me a chance to explain…"

"Explain? How could you possibly explain driving all this way by yourself…", Booth began furiously.

"Christine is spending the day with Angela. It's only a three hour drive out here, and my car is quite reliable. The baby is fine, Booth." She bit her lip, unsure of how to continue. "I...I just wanted to see you. Gavin said I could probably find you here."

"Yeah. Helluva sponsor he is, right? First he tells me I need to do something for someone I love...like a gift, you know? Something I make with my own hands. And then he goes and spoils the surprise…" Muttering to himself, he opened a folding chair for Brennan to sit in and pulled another one up for himself. "I wanted to build this area out here so we could sit around and enjoy the evenings, grilling and roasting marshmallows and stuff like that. The kids would love it, and we could sit out late at night, after they went to bed, enjoying our drinks and each other's company while we watch the stars go by." He shrugged as he leaned back in his chair and gazed at the house. "Crazy, right? But making this thing is one of steps of my recovery, alright? I've been sober for awhile now, but I still have a long way to go…there's a lot of steps to cover. Building this thing by myself gives me time to think about where I've been and where I'm going."

"I think this area that you're constructing will be a wonderful place for us to use as a family, Booth, but I don't know why you wanted to hide this for me." Seeing her husband's grimace, she nodded. "Yes, I understand it was supposed to be a surprise for me, but I don't understand why you didn't tell me something about what you were doing. You've moved back into our house, but when you choose to leave for long periods of time without telling me where you're going, it's worrisome. When you leave on a Saturday morning and say you'll be back later in the day, and then when you show up several hours later without further explanation, it makes me wonder if you've fallen back into bad habits. I am concerned for your well-being."

"Yeah, I know. I guess I didn't handle that part very well, huh?" He puffed out an exasperated sigh as he studied his shoes. "So it wasn't just curiosity that brought you out here, was it? You don't trust me any more, right?" Booth nodded to himself, continuing despite his wife's protests. "Not that I blame you, Bones. I know I've done a lot of things to damage our relationship, and I know you may never get to a point where you can completely trust me again. I understand that...I really do." He brushed a tear off his cheek. "All I can tell you is that I promise I will never again do anything to jeopardize my marriage to you or my relationship with my children. I know how I felt when I thought I'd lost everything, and I never want to experience that ever again, Bones. I love you too much. I can't lose you again, okay? I'll do whatever it takes...whatever you want, but please don't give up on me yet."

"To be honest, it has been hard to trust you." Brennan sighed as she saw the pained expression on her husband's face. "That's why we have to talk to each other about everything. We have to be honest about what we're feeling. We can't spend our days simply being nice to each other, hoping that the problems won't exist. We have to communicate better."

"I know." Booth reached over to take her hand. "It's scary, isn't it? I mean, sometimes I wonder if I'm gonna say the wrong thing and then you'll decide to kick me out of the house again." Seeing his wife's agitation, he quickly explained. "I think we're past that point now...at least I hope so. Gavin says part of the problem with addiction is the feeling that I can never be good enough again...that I can't do enough to earn your forgiveness. It makes a guy feel hopeless...like he can never get better. But you _have_ forgiven me, and I need to accept that forgiveness. I can't wallow in my guilt any longer. I have to move on with my life, even though I'll struggle with my gambling addiction every day. I guess I can't expect you to trust me if I don't trust myself."

"I can help you with that if you'll let me, Booth. I love you, so this is my struggle, too. When I chose you for my husband, it was with the idea that we would be able to face life's troubles together. Please let me help you face your gambling addiction." Brennan smiled at him as she patted his hand. "I'm sure there will be times in the future when I'll be angry at you, and you'll be angry at me. We can't be afraid of being angry at each other any more, because we love each other, and we can work through it, but only if we're honest with each other."

Booth smiled as he looked at the beautiful woman who was his wife. "To be honest, I don't know how I got to be so lucky...I have a wonderful family, friends who support me, a great job…" Watching as Brennan shifted in her chair again, he shook his head at her. "Okay, you can have a quick tour of the fire pit, but then I think you need to head back home. I don't want to deliver another child under duress…"

Rolling her eyes at her husband's hyperbole, Brennan grimaced as she tried to rise from her chair. "The baby isn't due for another six weeks, Booth." She accepted his hand as he pulled her up from her seat. "I don't think you have to worry about that today."

"C'mere…" He put his arms around her and held her close in his embrace. "I wish I could tell you how much I love you...OWW. That little stinker just kicked his dad! I think the Tiger is tired of being cooped up in there."

"Perhaps." Brennan smiled up at her husband, giggling as he moved his hands to feel his child's movements. "Or perhaps he's just responding to the sound of your voice. I think he misses you."

"Oh, come on...even I know his mind isn't developed enough to miss me…"

"Maybe not, but children in utero can recognize sounds. That's why people play music for their fetuses before birth." Brennan once again turned toward their house. "I'm going to love being at this house with you, Booth. I'm eagerly anticipating its completion." Grimacing as she felt the baby kick again, she grinned. "I believe you may be correct. The Tiger is ready to escape from his confinement. I should start for home…"

"I'll be about twenty minutes behind you. I've got a few things to clean up here before I can leave. You've got your phone, right?" Seeing her pull it from her pocket, he nodded. "Good." Picking up the bucket of mortar, he hesitated before turning to her. "Hey, Bones...thanks for taking the gamble on me. I know it's been hard…"

She smiled as she opened the car door. "I don't gamble, Booth. I've always known you were a sure thing. I'll see you at home."

He watched her drive away, sighing to himself. Her belief in him kept him going...it made him able to put one foot in front of the other as he walked away from his addiction. As he cleaned things up and got ready to leave, he vowed to himself that he would never let her down again.

He had too much to lose.


	6. Chapter 6

_A/N: this is the last chapter of my story. I hope you've enjoyed it. If you have time to leave a review, I'd appreciate it._

 _By the way, I'm posting a tissue alert on this chapter. It takes place several years in the future. Laura_

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None of them had wanted to make the trip on this sunny Saturday morning. They'd put it off as long as they could, hoping that they wouldn't need to go, but finally they realized it had to be done. They had to go today.

They drove in silence for half an hour as they made their way through the crowded city, each lost in their own thoughts as they contemplated their errand. Glancing at his sister in the rear view mirror, Parker finally tried to start a conversation to break the monotony of their trip. "How are you feeling, Chrissy? Tired?"

"Oh, yeah." She groaned as she shifted in the back seat of the tiny electric car. "I also feel like I've got a rhinoceros sitting on my bladder. I can't wait for this kid to be born." She narrowed her eyes at her brothers as they exchanged broad smiles in the front seat. "Yeah, I know, not a surprise, right? I should've known better, right? I should've known I'd produce another big baby after Seeley was over 9 pounds when he arrived, but believe me, Mikey and I weren't thinking about that at the time this baby was being conceived. Of course, Michael-Vincent is quite proud of himself because I got pregnant so quickly after quitting the pill. Typical male..."

Hank turned slightly to look at his sister. "How many more weeks till she gets here?"

"The doctor says 6 weeks, but I'm pretty sure Brenna Joy will be here a lot sooner than that. I think it's gonna be 3 weeks at the most." Christine grinned at her younger brother as she rubbed her abdomen. "So when are you and Carla going to have kids, Hank? You've been married almost five years now..."

Squirming slightly under his sister's persistant questioning, Hank decided he'd have to let the cat out of the bag. "Okay, listen...you can't say anything to Mom and Dad yet, because Carla's appointment isn't until next Monday, but...she did one of those home pregnancy tests this past Sunday, and it was positive…"

"That's great, Bubba!" Parker beamed with pleasure as he turned the vehicle south toward Richmond. "Bones and Dad are gonna be thrilled."

"I know. I'm glad this happened now, while they're still here…" Hank's voice trailed off as he realized he'd probably said the wrong thing. "I mean, it's not like they're in bad shape or anything. I expect them to be around for a long time…but, you know..."

"I know." Parker tried to sound cheerful as he shrugged off his brother's implication. "I guess they've taken pretty good care of themselves, but they're getting up there in years…"

"Yeah, Dad and Mom are both in their seventies…", Christine began wistfully as she watched the scenery go by. "...and physically, they're still in good shape, but I know Dad worries a lot about Mom, and I think it wears on him." She brushed a tear away as she nodded at Hank. "Mom's gonna be so pleased, Hank…"

"Carla and I are gonna go by their new place next week as soon as we know for sure. You know Mom's gonna want evidence." Hank grinned as he shook his head. "I mean, even if she notices a change in how Carla walks, she may not remember what that indicates, so we'll probably want to bring a doctor's note to go with the ultrasound, but I know they're gonna be happy." He chuckled as he anticipated the discussion with his elderly parents. "So now they're gonna have five grandkids. I wonder if they ever thought that would happen when they made their first trip out here."

"Probably not. They were still getting used to the idea of being together when Dad brought Bones out here to see the acreage that day all those years ago." Turning the car onto the freshly paved four lane road that led to the town of Carterville, Parker laughed. "This area has really changed, too. I remember the first time I came out here with them. It seemed like we drove for hours without seeing another house, and there seemed to be thousands of trees. Of course, I was maybe nine or ten, and going for a drive in the country was a big adventure in itself." Pulling off of the main road, he turned off onto a side street that lead to a forested tract. Pushing the button on a remote control, he opened the gate and pulled onto the long paved driveway. "I always enjoyed coming out here when I was a kid, but I especially loved spending the Christmas holidays here. It was almost magical...Dad would find a huge evergreen tree of some sort, and we'd decorate it with all sorts of ornaments…"

Christine smiled happily. "Dad always went over the top when it came to decorating the house for Christmas, didn't he? Mom always pretended to disapprove, but I'm pretty sure she loved all the holiday stuff as much as he did." She raised an eyebrow at Hank. "I guess you don't remember a time when we didn't spend Christmas out here, do you, Bubba?"

Gazing out the windshield, Hank shook his head sadly. "Nope. I suppose all of my Christmas memories are wrapped up in this place…"

They continued down the winding driveway as it passed through a grove of trees up to the sprawling two story wood and stone clad house. After stopping the car, Parker helped his sister out of the tiny backseat. "Oof...there you go. Hey, the water's still turned on if you need to use the bathroom." Holding up a key, he grinned as he strode over to the front door. "Come on…let's go check it out."

As they entered the house, the siblings stood together in the vast two story foyer, pausing to enjoy the surge of so many warm memories of holidays, long weekends, and summer vacations in their parents' home away from home. Over the years there had been graduation parties, engagement parties, and at least one wedding at the house. A lot of happiness had been experienced within the walls of the rustic home.

Chuckling to himself, Hank walked over to the massive fireplace and grinned as he reached under the mantle. "The hooks for our Christmas stockings are still here…"

"Of course they are. Dad probably couldn't stand the idea of removing them. He's pretty sentimental about stuff like that, you know. Even something like those hooks would hold a lot of meaning for him. He'll probably be able to tell you exactly when he put them there." Parker sighed as he walked over to the tall glass atrium doors that looked over the patio and the fire pit that his father had built as he tried to recover from his gambling relapse. "I think he probably touched almost every brick, stone, and board in this house as it was under construction. He practically built this place with his own hands...and he built it with love. Love for his Bones, and love for us." Turning to his brother and sister, Parker blinked back his tears. "I can't believe we have to give this place up…"

"I know...it's hard, isn't it?" Christine walked over to her brother, giving him a tender hug. "But you know it's for the best, right? Dad says he doesn't really feel safe out here now, and it really bothers him. As much as he loves this place, Dad thinks that he and Mom can't come out here by themselves any more."

"That's what he told me, too." Hank nodded in agreement. "The last time I talked to Dad about the house, he said that he loves this house, but he was afraid that Mom might forget where she was and wander off, or that they'd take a walk one evening and get lost in the woods and might not make it home. You know Dad's not usually afraid of anything, but he's worried about that...really worried. He said it was time to let someone else enjoy the place...to let some other people make some happy memories here."

"You're both right. I know that." Sitting down at the breakfast bar, Parker traced circles on the counter with his fingers. "And we'll always have the memories we've made here." He bit his lip, trying to control his emotions. "Did I tell you the realtor said there's been an offer made on the place? It was some real estate investor. She wanted to clear out most of the trees and bulldoze the house. Dad was devastated…"

"Dad didn't agree to that, did he?" Christine was appalled, raising her voice at her brother's comment. "I can't believe they'd want to tear down this great old house, after all the work Dad and Mom put into it…"

"Take it easy, Chrissy…", Parker began as he tried to console his sister. "Of course, we didn't take that offer. Dad didn't give it any serious consideration. That's why he and I came up with a plan, and I think you and Hank will both approve." Taking a deep breath, he continued softly. "You guys know who Aldo Clemens was? He was a good friend of Dad's. He performed the wedding for Dad and Bones…"

"Yeah, I've heard the name." Hank was confused. "But I don't understand the connection…"

"Aldo was a great guy. I only talked to him a couple of times, but he was really nice, and I know Dad thought the world of him. He was Dad's confessor while Dad was stationed overseas with the Army. Unfortunately, Aldo suffered some form of PTSD from his time in the service, so he left the priesthood and bought a bar in DC. It looked like he was doing well for a few years, but I guess it was just a facade. Something set him off, and for some reason that Dad never completely understood, the guy started doing heroin, and he quickly got hooked on it. He went from being a successful businessman to being homeless in just a matter of months. Dad tried to help him, but Aldo basically sank so far into his addiction that no one could reach him any more."

"I remember him now." Christine nodded slowly. "I found his picture in a box of stuff when Mom and Dad moved to the retirement center. Dad said Aldo was the bravest man he ever knew...that he'd made the ultimate sacrifice...that he was a hero."

"Even braver than Uncle Aubrey? Wow...", Hank gasped. "But the guy was an addict…"

"He was an addict, but as it turns out, he was still a loyal friend. Aldo gave up his own life trying to protect Dad from Mark Kovacs when that son of a bitch was looking to get revenge on Dad for his father's death. Aldo killed himself rather than give up information about Dad to the guy." Grimacing at the memory, Parker exhaled slowly before he explained the plan. "Now Dad wants to do something to honor Aldo's memory, so he wants to donate the house and the land to an organization that helps veterans deal with their PTSD. It'll be a place where they can come to get away from it all...almost like a religious retreat, except it'll be secular. They'll have a medical clinic here, and there'll be trained counselors available, and the vets can stay here as long as they want, for a fee based on what they can afford, so they can get the help they need. Dad says being out in the country like this can heal a guy's soul, and I guess he'd know as much about that as anybody. It'll be called the Aldo Clemens Memorial Center for Veterans' Assistance."

"Won't it cost a lot of money to get something like that started and to keep it running?", Christine asked impatiently. "I think it's a great idea, but won't the upkeep on this place be expensive? I mean, that's another reason Dad wants to sell the place, right?"

"It will be expensive, but Dad's already talked to Uncle Jack and Aunt Angela about his idea, and their charitable foundation has agreed to defray most of the costs of the maintenance for the place for at least ten years, and they're gonna do some fundraisers for the rest of the stuff. Dad's pretty determined that this is what he wants to do." Parker shrugged at his siblings. "I tried to explain to him that we might get another good offer for the house and land...he could make a lot of money on the deal, especially since that bastard Broadsky gave him the land free and clear...but Dad said it didn't really feel right to make a lot of profit on something he hadn't earned, and he wants something good to come from all the havoc that Broadsky wreaked when he was alive. You both know how hard it is to convince Dad to do something different when his mind's made up. Bones can't even change his mind."

"And she's in no condition to try right now, either, is she? Her dementia is becoming too severe." Christine brushed away a tear. "It's so unfair, having her mind struck down by a disease like that, but at least she's happy. It just kills me to remember how brilliant she used to be, and when I realize how many memories she's lost, it's almost too much for me to handle."

"Dad says he remembers enough for both of them. And you're right, Chrissy. She's happy as long as she's with Dad." Hank put his arm around his sister and gave her a gentle squeeze. "I know it's hard to deal with, but she really is happy, and that new medication seems to have slowed the progression of her memory loss." Turning to Parker, Hank gave a resolute nod. "I think Dad's plan for the place is a great idea. How soon can we get this done?"

"I have Dad's power of attorney, so if we all agree, I'll go see the lawyer next week." Parker looked from his brother to his sister. "It's really what he wants. And you know, as much as we love this place, with our jobs and our families, none of us are in a position where we can take care of it. Instead of selling the house to someone who won't really appreciate it, why not let someone use it to do something good?"

"I guess you're right, Parker…", Christine began. "...and I guess we could come out here on occasion to see the place, and maybe even volunteer…"

"Yeah. Dad and Mom can come out to dedicate the center when it opens. They'll like that." Hank sniffled a bit before he offered a weak smile. "It'd make them very happy."

"Uncle Jack's attorneys are gonna create a charitable trust to take care of the financial end of it so we don't have to worry about the place." Parker hesitated slightly before he continued. "Dad says he wants to do this now so we'll have one less thing to mess with when he's gone."

"Parker! That's terrible!" Christine glared at her brother. "It's not like his health is that bad…"

"I know, Chrissy, but he really is trying to make things as easy for us as he can. I think he's got a lot of years ahead of him, but in his mind, this is just another way for him to take care of the people he loves...you know, making sure that we know how he wants things done when he's gone."

Hank patted her hand. "Parker's right, Sis. Dad's always been careful to keep his ducks in a row about his will and stuff like that. That's just who he is, right? It doesn't mean he's planning on leaving us soon. I imagine that if he has anything to do with it, he'll hang around as long as he can, so he can take care of Mom."

"Okay." Sighing softly, Christine patted her baby bulge. "I'm gonna use the bathroom, and then we can take a walk around the place before we head for home. I'm sure Mikey is tired of chasing Seeley, Ian, and Henry around the house. When's Meredith getting back from London, Parker?"

"Tuesday. Her mom's surgery went really well." Smiling at his brother and sister, Parker rose from his seat. "I guess you both know that we'll have to donate a big Christmas tree to this new veteran's center every year. This house won't be the same without one of Dad's ten foot trees…"

"You're right...and we'll have to make sure they always have plenty of marshmallows to roast in the firepit, and some real turkeys on Thanksgiving...none of that tofurkey crap Mom used to make us eat." Hank laughed as he remembered his father's disgust over the fake bird. "The three of us can make sure there are still a lot of happy memories in this house, right, Parker?."

"Yep." Smiling broadly, Parker nodded in agreement. "That's exactly what we'll do. We'll make sure there are always happy memories attached to this house."

* * *

 _Thanks for reading..._


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